These are the first official photos of Ford’s Detroit Show-bound Vertrek concept study, which previews a common replacement for the European market Kuga crossover and the North American Escape SUV.

The compact-sized model is based on the underpinnings of the Focus hatch and is powered by Ford’s 1.6-liter turbocharged EcoBoost petrol engine featuring start and stop technology for improved fuel efficiency.

The production model, which could hit the market as early as 2012, will most likely lose many of the concept’s cool features such as the panoramic glass roof, carbon fiber aero-pack and of course, the purely conceptual interior, but will retain the basic shape of the concept.

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